Does it have to be a fingerstick? (accucheck question)

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I'm pretty sure when I was inserviced by the Roche Accuchek folks about using their machine, they said that one of the benefits was that I could use blood from any source, not just capillary (a fingerstick). So I can use blood from anywhere, right? I mean, I guess it would be laborious to draw from a PICC if you have to waste first, but it wouldn't be hard to get it off an art line rather than sticking a patient.

Just a thought as I had to stick my patient for a fingerstick, their insulin, and SQ heparin, all in the same visit to the room. :p

Another question: since heparin and insulin have Y-site compatability, what's the worst that would happen if I combined the two in a subcutaneous syringe and just gave one injection? Just a thought. I'm not going to start doing it, but it seems plausible to me.

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I don't know about administering insulin and heparin together. Regardless of whether they are compatible or not it seems like you risk making a mistake in drawing it up and possible contamination of the stock bottles. As for using blood from another source I do this usually only from A-lines. I don't remember hearing that you could only use finger sticks. In fact a lot of times when a patient is extremely edematous in the hand and feet finger sticks are often inaccurate and using a finger stick for a blood sugar can give you an inaccurate reading.

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Specializes in critical care, PACU.

I use all sorts of blood (basically I'll take what I can get) to minimize sticks. Ive done accuchecks from blood draws, a lines, and central lines.

you can also check syringe compatibility on micromedix.

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Specializes in ICU.
I don't know about administering insulin and heparin together. Regardless of whether they are compatible or not it seems like you risk making a mistake in drawing it up and possible contamination of the stock bottles. As for using blood from another source I do this usually only from A-lines. I don't remember hearing that you could only use finger sticks. In fact a lot of times when a patient is extremely edematous in the hand and feet finger sticks are often inaccurate and using a finger stick for a blood sugar can give you an inaccurate reading.

I too would be very concerned about the risk of giving too much of one or the other if the two were administered in the same syringe.

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Specializes in General 9yrs; Ortho-2y Intensive Care-6y.

I don't do finger prick to patients with art lines/cvc. Trying to avoid more pain related therapies to patients when I can.

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